BASIC NEUROANATOMY & NEUROPHYSIOLOGY

Central nervous system (CNS)

The command-and-control network consisting of the brain and spinal cord.

Peripheral nervous system (PNS)

The courier network consisting of sensory receptors and motor effectors.

Gray matter

Contains neuronal cell bodies and is located in the central nervous system.

White matter

Composed of axons and glial cells, connecting different parts of gray matter in the CNS.

Midbrain

Part of the brain that controls respiration and states of consciousness, contains nuclei including superior and inferior colliculi.

Medulla oblongata

Regulates respiration, heart rate, and blood pressure; damage can be fatal.

Pons

Serves as a bridge from the rest of the brain to the cerebellum; involved in sleep, arousal, and respiration.

Cerebellum

Coordinates voluntary motor movements, balance, and posture; damage affects precision of movement.

Thalamus

Relay center between all sensory organs (except smell) and the cortex; known as the 'gateway to the cortex'.

Hypothalamus

Regulates bodily functions such as temperature, hunger, and endocrine functions.

Cerebral cortex

Outer layer of gray matter surrounding the inner white matter of the brain.

Gyri

Elevated ridges or folds in the cerebral cortex.

Sulci

Small grooves that divide the gyri in the cerebral cortex.

Fissures

Deep sulci that generally divide large regions or lobes of the brain.

Frontal lobe

Responsible for executive functions, motor planning and movement execution.

Parietal lobe

Involved in processing sensory information and spatial perception.

Occipital lobe

Primarily responsible for processing, integrating, and interpreting visual stimuli.

Temporal lobe

Responsible for auditory processing, memory, visual recognition, and emotions.

Corpus Callosum

Major white matter connection between the cerebral hemispheres, allowing communication.

Homotopic fibers

White matter fibers connecting corresponding areas of the two hemispheres.

Ipsilateral fibers

White matter fibers that stay within the same hemisphere.